News headlines and clinical studies alike show the wide reach of the nation's opioid epidemic. In this article in the journal Pediatrics, it shows how the opioid epidemic is striking children. Please read it and also comment in the comment section below about any of the following: As health care providers in pediatric practices, how is the opioid epidemic impacting your patients? How can ACEs screening and referral to resources make a difference?
Many thanks,
Laurie Udesky
Community site manager, ACEs in Pediatrics
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There has been a rapid increase in the rate of pediatric opioid-related hospitalizations. It is unknown how this increase has impacted the use of pediatric critical care. Our objective in this study was to assess the trends in pediatric hospitalization for opioid ingestions in a cohort of US children’s hospitals and, specifically, to evaluate the impact on pediatric critical care resource use.
RESULTS: There were 3647 opioid-related hospitalizations in 31 hospitals; 42.9% required PICU care. The overall mortality was 1.6%, with annual deaths decreasing from 2.8% to 1.3% (P < .001). The number of opioid-related hospitalizations requiring PICU care doubled between 2004 and 2015. The rate of PICU admission for opioid-related hospitalization increased significantly, from 24.9 to 35.9 per 10 000 PICU admissions (P < .001). Among PICU admissions, 37.0% required mechanical ventilator support, and 20.3% required vasopressors.
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